Hypertension at 30? 6 early signs you should never ignore

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition that starts with age. However, nowadays, we are seeing an alarming number of patients in their 20s and 30s diagnosed with high blood pressure. This is most likely due to sedentary lifestyles, stress, poor diets, and lack of sleep. These factors could be affecting the younger population earlier than expected. Hypertension generally has few warning signs. But your body may give you subtle hints before the problem becomes dangerous, if you pay attention.

6 early signs of hypertension

1. Persistent headaches
Everyone gets headaches from time to time after a long day, a missed meal, or a late night. However, if you find yourself waking up with headaches or getting headaches more frequently, then you are likely getting signals from your body indicating an increase in blood pressure. These headaches tend to be dull and throbbing occurring primarily in the back of the head. Don't just take a painkiller and move on. Get your BP checked!

2. Fatigue or confusion
Are you feeling exhausted even after a full night of sleep? Or maybe you have trouble focusing and have been feeling mentally foggy? Sometimes we can connect tiredness and confusion to stress or burnout, but they can also be a very subtle sign of high blood pressure that affects blood flow to your brain. If your fatigue feels unexplained, then it’s time to investigate.

3. Blurred vision
Your eyes can often be a reflection of your overall health. High blood pressure directly impacts the small vessels in your eye, so over time you may experience vision changes or damage. If you're having sudden or persistent blurred vision, don't just brush it off as screen fatigue.

4. Shortness of breathJust climbing one flight of stairs and you are out of breath? Of course, we all lose some stamina when we have been sedentary for some time, but ongoing shortness of breath with minimal activity could be a sign of a cardiovascular complication. High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder and overtime may lead to heart failure or other complications.

5. Chest discomfort or palpitations
Do you feel fluttering in your chest, racing heart, or sometimes tightness? These could be signs that your heart is under stress (literally). Yes, not every chest pain means that there are problems with your heart, but when there are more associated symptoms to any of it, you have the case to get it checked out. More than likely, it's better to be safe than sorry.

6. Frequent nosebleeds
While occasional nosebleeds may feel spontaneous especially during dry weather frequent or unexplained nosebleeds can happen due to sudden increases in blood pressure. If you have begun to experience unexplained nosebleeds more frequently, it would be a good idea to consult your doctor.

Listen to your body
Hypertensive is often referred to as the "silent killer" for a reason; it can damage the heart, brain and kidneys, without obvious symptoms, for many years. It is treatable, and the earlier you find out, the better. So, whether one or more of these symptoms ring true for you. A simple blood pressure check could be your first step to protecting your health long-term.

You’re never “too young” to care about your heart. Start today.

Dr. Sanjay Bhat, Sr. Consultant - Interventional Cardiology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore